Table of Contents

Getting Started

Viewers

Windows

User Interface Items

Getting Started

MIME (short for "Multipurpose Internet Media Extensions")
is a widespread standard format for enabling extended
Internet electronic information exchange. The MIME format permits
compliant applications to include enhanced text, graphics, audio,
and more, in a standardized and interoperable manner. If you send and
receive information with a MIME-compliant system, you will be
able to send and receive far more than ASCII text.

SDSC WebView supports the MIME standard to enable you to use it as a
primary browser (or if you want, also as a helper application).
To take advantage of the MIME capabilities, you will first have
to configure your local MIME configuration files.

MIME Configuration Files

.mime.types

The .mime.types file in your home directory
contains lines that describe what type of
data is contained in a file having a specific filename extension.
A MIME data type is described by a "class" and "subclass" identifier
string (separated by a slash "/" character).
Here are some sample lines which include an example illustrating the proper
mapping between
a ".wrl" file and the MIME type for VRML data:

The /.mailcap file in your home directory
contains lines that describe what program to
execute when it is handed specific type of data.
Here are some sample lines which include an example that maps the
VRML data type to the WebView VRML browser:

SDSC WebView can be invoked with or without command-line arguments.
Without an argument, webview
will start up with an empty view window. You
can then select a file or URL to load from items under the File menu.

webview

If webview
is passed a single inputfile argument, it may be either
a local file name or a full URL. The file or URL will be loaded and presented
in the window at startup. You can still select additional files or URLs to
load from items under the File menu.

webview myfile.wrl
webview http://www.abc.edu/myfile.wrl

When webview is invoked as a helper application
by an HTML browser, such as NetScape, the remote
file will already be stored in a temp file by the HTML browser.
That temp file can be handed off to webview
to display. However, if the
file contains any WWWInline nodes with relative URLs, webview
will be unable to fill in the parent URL's components (host and directory) unless
the original URL is also given to webview.
In this case, Netscape should
provide both the local temp file name, and the original URL to webview.
This
is typically specified in your .mailcap file as discussed above.
In any case, you can still select additional files or URLs to
load using items under the File menu.

webview -URL http://www.abc.edu/myfile.wrl /tmp/398934.wrl

Viewers

The examiner viewer allows you to rotate the view around a
point of interest using a virtual trackball. The viewer uses the camera
focalDistance
field to figure out the point of rotation, which is usually
set to be at the center of the scene. In addition to allowing you to
rotate the camera around the point of interest, this viewer also allows
you to move the camera in the viewer plane, as well as dolly (move
forward and backward) to get closer to or further away from the point of
interest. The viewer also supports Seek Mode to quickly move the camera to a
desired object or point.

Mouse

Left Mouse
Rotates the virtual trackball.

Ctrl + Left Mouse
Used for roll action (rotates around the viewer in a forward direction).

Middle Mouse
Moves up, down, left, and right.

Left + Middle Mouse
Dollies in and out (gets closer to and further away from the object).

Right Mouse
In viewing mode (the arrow button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects and follows an anchor.
In editing mode (the pencil button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects a scene component to edit in the edit window.

Mouse motion
Movement of the cursor over an anchor displays the anchor's URL or
description in the status area at the bottom of the window.

Keyboard

s key
Toggle Seek Mode on/off.
In seek mode, zooms to the next object clicked on, leaving
you back in view mode. This is handy for quickly getting from place
to place in a complicated environment.

Viewer Controls

Rotx Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the X (horizontal) axis.

Roty Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the Y (vertical) axis.

Dolly Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Z (forward/back) axis.

Zoom Slider
Adjusts the camera's field of view, in degrees. The default is 45 degrees
or whatever is given in the VRML file's camera node.

The fly viewer is intended to simulate flight through space,
with a constant world up direction. The viewer only constrains the camera
to keep the user from flying upside down. No mouse buttons need to be
pressed in order to fly. The mouse position is only used for steering,
while mouse clicks are used to increase or decrease the viewer speed.
The fly viewer allows you to tilt your
head up/down/right/left and move in the
direction you are looking (forward or backward). The viewer also
supports Seek Mode to quickly move the camera to a desired object or point.

Mouse

Left Mouse
Each click increases speed. The initial speed is zero.

Middle Mouse
Each click decreases speed.

Left + Middle Mouse
Click both simultaneously to stop.

Ctrl
Hold the key down to stop and rotate the viewpoint.

Right Mouse
In viewing mode (the arrow button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects and follows an anchor.
In editing mode (the pencil button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects a scene component to edit in the edit window.

Mouse motion
Movement of the cursor over an anchor displays the anchor's URL or
description in the status area at the bottom of the window.
Cursor movement also controls the flight direction.

Keyboard

s key
Toggle Seek Mode on/off.
In seek mode, zooms to the next object clicked on, leaving
you back in view mode. This is handy for quickly getting from place
to place in a complicated environment.

Viewer Controls

Tilt Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the X (horizontal) axis.

Pan Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the Y (vertical) axis.

Dolly Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Z (forward/back) axis.

Zoom Slider
Adjusts the camera's field of view, in degrees. The default is 45 degrees
or whatever is given in the VRML file's camera node.

The Plane viewer allows the user to move the camera in the
viewing plane, as well as dolly (move foward/backward) and zoom in and
out. The viewer also allows the user to roll the camera (rotate around
the forward direction) and "seek" to objects, which specifies a new
viewing plane. This viewer could be used for modeling, in drafting, and
architectural work. The camera can be aligned to the X, Y, or Z axes.

Mouse

Left Mouse
Moves up, down, left and right.

Ctrl + Left Mouse
Used for roll action (rotates around the viewer forward direction).

Middle Mouse
Dollies in and out (gets closer to and further away from the object).

Right Mouse
In viewing mode (the arrow button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects and follows an anchor.
In editing mode (the pencil button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects a scene component to edit in the edit window.

Mouse motion
Movement of the cursor over an anchor displays the anchor's URL or
description in the status area at the bottom of the window.

Keyboard

s key
Toggle Seek Mode on/off.
In seek mode, zooms to the next object clicked on, leaving
you back in view mode. This is handy for quickly getting from place
to place in a complicated environment.

Viewer Controls

transY Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Y (vertical) axis.

transX Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera along the X (horizontal) axis.

Dolly Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Z (forward/back) axis.

Zoom Slider
Adjusts the camera's field of view, in degrees. The default is 45 degrees
or whatever is given in the VRML file's camera node.

The paradigm for this viewer is a walkthrough of an architectural model.
Its primary behavior is forward, backward, and left/right turning motion
while maintaining a constant "eye level." It is also possible to stop and
look around at the scene. The eye level plane can be disabled, allowing
the viewer to proceed in the "look at" direction, as if on an escalator.
The eye level plane can also be moved up and down - similar to an
elevator.

Mouse

Left Mouse
Click and hold the mouse button down, then move the mouse pointer up and
down for foward and backward motion.
Move the mouse pointer (while holding down the mouse button) right and
left for turning. Speed increases exponentially
with the distance from the mouse-down origin.

Ctrl + Left Mouse
Allows motion in the "look at" direction, which is not necessarily in the
"eye level" plane ("Escalator" mode).

Alt + Left Mouse
Press (but do not hold down) the key, then click on a target object
to set the "up" direction to the surface normal. By default +y is
the "up" direction.

Middle Mouse
Rotate the viewpoint. This allows you to look around while stopped.

Right Mouse
In viewing mode (the arrow button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects and follows an anchor.
In editing mode (the pencil button on the toolbar is pressed),
selects a scene component to edit in the edit window.

Mouse motion
Movement of the cursor over an anchor displays the anchor's URL or
description in the status area at the bottom of the window.

Keyboard

s key
Toggle Seek Mode on/off.
In seek mode, zooms to the next objected clicked on, leaving
you back in view mode. This is handy for quickly getting from place
to place in a complicated environment.

Viewer Controls

Tilt Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the X (horizontal) axis.

Pan Thumbwheel
Rotates the camera around the Y (vertical) axis.

H Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Y (vertical) axis.

Dolly Thumbwheel
Moves the camera along the Z (forward/back) axis.

Zoom Slider
Adjusts the camera's field of view, in degrees. The default is 45 degrees
or whatever is given in the VRML file's camera node.

View Mode
Enters world-viewing mode (the default). In this mode, the right
mouse button selects anchors to follow, while the other mouse buttons
change your viewing position based upon the current viewer.

Edit Mode
Enters world-editing mode. In this mode, the right mouse button
selects world components to edit in the edit window. The other mouse
buttons change your viewing position based upon the current viewer.

Headlight
Turns on/off the camera headlight.

Auto Clipping
Turns on/off automatic adjustment of the near and far clipping
planes. When on (the default), the camera continually updates it's near and far
values to collapse the clipping planes to the edges of a bounding box
around the scene. When off, this isn't done.

Seeks go to picked point
Turns on/off detail seek mode. When on (the default), seek operations
zoom toward the picked point. When off, they zoom toward the center
of the bounding box of the picked object.

Allow Spin Animation
For the Examiner Viewer only, turns on/off spin animation. When on (the
default), rotating the world, then letting go of the mouse button while
the world is still moving, causes the world to continue to spin automatically. When off,
this doesn't happen.

Show World Axes
For the Examiner Viewer only, turns on/off the world axes. When on,
a set of world axes is drawn at the center of the world. These can help
orient you while making changes to the world or moving about it.
When off (the default), the axes are not drawn.

View as is
Renders the scene as it was defined by the VRML scene description.

View as is without textures
Renders the scene as it was defined by the VRML scene description with
the exception of texture maps.

View as wireframe
Renders the scene using a wireframe representation of the scene's geometry.

View as hidden line wireframe
Renders the scene using a wireframe representation of the scene's geometry
with hidden lines removed.

View as points
Renders the scene as points (dots) located at each vertex of a scene.